Auth token verification (also referred to as “Token Auth”) is the process of generating tokens, associating them with an authenticated user session, and then validating the request using these tokens to prevent unauthorized sharing of links to your content.
How it works
This behavior generates unique tokens for use as a query string, a cookie, or in a request header. These tokens are used to validate user requests.
Implementation
Step 1: Enable Token Auth
To start, add the Auth Token 2.0 Verification behavior to the applicable rule in your property, and set the options as necessary:
| Option | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Token Location | Yes | Select where the token is located in an incoming HTTP request from the client. Your origin server needs to generate this key and includes it in the applicable location (as a Query String, a Cookie, or in a Request Header). |
| Token Name | Yes | Input the value that will be used as the token_name in the token. (You need to ensure that the value you input here is used when the token is generated.) |
| Encryption key | Yes | Input a hexadecimal value, comprised of an even number of characters. For example: eee7e9157f81b2f6d471bf2c. You can also click the cycle button ( ) to automatically generate a proper value.
This is the key value you need to use to generate the token for use with your content. Make note of this value for use later in this process. |
| Action | Yes | Select the desired action to take:
|
| Show Advanced Options | No | You can optionally set this slider to On to reveal more options. |
| Encryption Algorithm | No | To access this option, set the Show Advanced Options slider to On. This is the algorithm you’re using for the HMAC (Hashed Message Authentication Code) to generate the token. This setting must match the method chosen in the token generation code.
The algorithms from most to least secure are SHA256, SHA1, and MD5. You shouldn’t change the default of SHA256 unless you have a specific reason to do so. For example, you might change it if you have speed requirements or computational limitations on generating tokens at the origin. |
| Escape token inputs | No | To access this option, set the Show Advanced Options slider to On. Specify whether the token inputs are URL escaped before generating the token. By default, inputs are URL escaped. This setting must match the setting used in your token generation code. |
| Ignore query string | No | To access this option, set the Show Advanced Options slider to On. Specify whether the query string is included in the URL input into the token. By default, the query string is included. This setting must match the setting used in the token generation code. |
| Transition key | No | To access this option, set the Show Advanced Options slider to On. Input a second Encryption key to serve as a backup “trusted shared secret” (either manually input a hexadecimal value, comprised of an even number of characters or auto-generate one using the cycle button—(). If the token provided by the user is not valid based on the primary Encryption key, the product checks the token using this key. This ensures that users are not denied access if you are in the process of rotating the primary key. (This assumes that you have transitioned to generating your tokens with the Transition Key for some period of time before updating the Encryption key value here.) |
| Salt | No | To access this option, set the Show Advanced Options slider to On. Input a value to serve as an additional “secret” that will be added to the token generation to strengthen the security of the token. You can either manually input a hexadecimal value, comprised of an even number of characters or auto-generate one using the cycle button (). |
Steps 2 and 3 must be performed before enabling a property configuration on the production network that has had Auth Token 2.0 Verification enabled
Step 2: Generate the access token
You need to generate a one-time access token and apply it to content you want to protect. The token is a delimited list of string fields, with an HMAC to prevent tampering with the strings. Each field consists of a value that is verified by Akamai when a request is made. Among other things, fields in the token include:
| String | Description |
|---|---|
token_name |
Required—This must be the same value you input for the Token Name setting in the Auth Token 2.0 Verification behavior for your property configuration. |
start_time and end_time |
Required—Use these to set a time to live for the token. |
session_id/sessionId |
Optional—Include this as a unique identifier for a single access session. Create a session identifier using printable ascii characters and ensure that it’s no larger than 36 bytes in size. |
key |
Required—The secret used to generate the token. This is the value you set as the Encryption key in the Auth Token 2.0 Verification behavior for your property configuration. (This can also be the Transition key, if applicable, or the Encryption key + Salt/Transition key + Salt if you’ve set up these optional values in the property.) |
Step 3: Apply the token
The completed token needs to be attached as a query string parameter, cookie, or request header, to the URL for your target content. You must apply it, based on how you’ve set the Token Location in the Auth Token 2.0 Verification behavior for this property configuration.
Ideally, you should set up your origin server to dynamically generate these tokens for each client request for the content. This way, the IP address could be included as a parameter, and access to the content would be restricted to that single, authorized user.